It Affected All of Us
by Cassie Jamie
Summary: This is an AU that I wrote while I was thinking of the next chapter of Shelby's World. Please R&R if you like it and want it to be continued.


Disclaimer:

I don't own Shelby, Peter, Daisy, etc. I'm not using this for money.Yatsa, Yatsa, and Yatsa.

Claimer:

I own Xan and Nick, but they can be 'rented' by request.(I know.I'm bored as hell.)

ETC:

THIS IS **EXTREME** AU!!

I was bored and came up with this so I could use the comp & P.O. my brother.

-*-*-

It Affected All of Us

-*-*-

December 25th, 2001

Shelby Marie Merrick stared at the stone.Another.She'd lost another.Only this one was her fault.If she hadn't said that stupid remark!This wasn't right!

What was she going to do now? First Jess, now her.

"Shelby." Daisy spoke, as she came up beside her friend, "You wanna go?We can come back another day.She won't mind.I'm sure of it."

"No.I still have to say goodbye.I can't leave without saying goodbye." Shelby replied, "Gone.Goodbye." She mumbled.

Daisy sighed, "Okay." She turned around, then stopped.She put her hand on Shelby's back, "She's never truly gone, you know.That's what she'd tell you.She wouldn't want you to be in pain over her."

"I know." Shelby replied, wiping a tear from her cheek.

Daisy walked away, her eyes on her shoes the entire time.She made it back to the car, and quickly entered, before looking over at Peter.

"How is she?"  
Daisy looked up at him, "Peter, one of our BEST friends is dead.Shelby is blaming herself for one, and she's not really grieving.On top of that she's devastated, but she refuses to accept that she's gone."

He nodded, "I know, Daze, I know.I'm just scared for her.And the rest of the Cliffhangers.I've never seen anything affect you guys like this."

"That's because this time it affected all of us."

-*-*-

Shelby knelt down and the frozen dirt.She bent her head to look at it, as to avoid seeing the one thing that would force her to accept that she was gone.She refused to look at the tombstone bearing her best friend's name – because it wasn't true.This wasn't happening.Shelby's mind didn't want to comprehend the fact that she'd lost Jess, she'd nearly lost her mother, and now she'd lost one of her two best friends.

With a lost and saddened look on her face and in her eyes, she made herself look up.Look up at the tiny granite marker inlaid in the ground.Forcing herself further, Shelby looked at the name engraved.

# Xan Aleeza Noellesen

May 30, 1983 – December 8, 2001

"Oh god, Xan…I'm sorry!I'm so, so sorry!I didn't mean it!I didn't mean it…" She cried, the last part of her anguish sobbed out as she hit the ground with her forehead.After about five minutes, she picked up herself up, and looked back at the stone, "Nick misses you.He misses you SO much!He's so sad, and we don't know what to do for him.He…He's been moping around and won't talk or eat or do his homework or anything.All week the guys have been in their cabin because he won't get out of bed anymore.Peter's even been rough with him, but it didn't work."  
"Scott.He's upset, too.He says he's worried about Nick, but I that's just his cover.He's mad that you left.He told me that you left of your own free will and that's wrong, but anytime we say your name around him, he starts to sniffle.He misses you.I know it.I know he thought of you as a kid sister.Him and Nick were always trying to protect you.Guess that's why their so lost all of a sudden…" She trailed off, as the body-racking sobs returned.She fell back to the ground, Oh, Xan! I'm sorry!I didn't mean it!I didn't!I swear I didn't!" She wailed, as Peter picked her up and carried her back to the car.

-*-*-

Rain pelted the navy-blue four door car, as Peter drove through the steady rain toward Horizon.He looked over every few minutes at Shelby, who wouldn't take her attention away from her birthday present that Xan had given her.It was a ring with a horse hanging off it and the letters X & S engraved on the back.

"Shelby, talk to me.Please?" Peter asked.

Silence.

Daisy looked from her spot in the backseat at Shelby, "Come on, Shel.Talk."

"No." Came the whispered reply.

Peter looked over for a brief second, "Okay.I can understand why you don't want to talk, but it'll help."

"No.It.Won't."

_'Oh no.Ohh noo.'_ Peter thought."Yes, it will."

"No."

Peter sighed and went back to watching the road.This was going to be a long, hard road – Not just for Shelby, Nick, and Daisy, but for everyone.For all the cliffhangers, for Sophie, and for himself.

-*-*-

Okey, I was bored.This is an **AU **so Xan's not really dead.This is a ONE parter, unless people REALLY like this **AU**.

Sry about all the **AU**'s but I just really want to stress the point.

*v* Cassie Jamie *v*

[noahXfiles@aol.com][1]

I guess I'd continue it if like…umm…I get fifteen reviews.

Oh btw – I am working on pt.2 of When Your Sick…I've just been really busy with school.__

   [1]: mailto:noahXfiles@aol.com



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